"If you do that, you'll succeed," Sullivan said at a Harbert Center luncheon in which the Rotary Club and Alabama Public Television gave awards to six high school students who overcame challenges.

Sullivan recently stepped down as CEO of the Tampa-based company, which besides Outback also includes the Carrabba's, Bonefish Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse chains. He and five partners founded Outback 20 years ago and later took it public, opening nearly 1,000 restaurants worldwide. It reverted to private ownership in a leveraged buyout last year.

"We no longer have to answer to shareholders in quarterly statements and can concentrate on growing the business," Sullivan said.